Dead Dishwasher

[nickuk]

Just to let you all know for your interest, my Zanussi dishwasher as developed a major fault after 3 years of service. It no longer heats water. I am just running it from the hot line instead for now. Also the bottom of the cutlery basket has perished so knives etc poke through and stop the lower arm rotating.

While we're on topic, a few months ago my mother's Bosch dishwasher (apx 4 years old) developed a fault whereby it blew the electrics and filled the room with smoke. The supressor had gone, the guy replaced it for about £90 and said that quite a few Bosch dishwashers were affected by it.

So the question is, if Bosch and Zanussi need major repairs after a few years of service, is it only Miele nowadays that really lasts or are there any other good brands of dishwashers in the UK. The Hotpoint I had in '04 literally lasted days and was replaced a few times then refunded. That's Indesit so that and Ariston are out....

Hoover Candy any good? LG? What do you think?

Nick

 

[robm]

Times have changed

Hi Nick

Well they are certainly not made like they used to be (like most things). My mothers first Hotpoint lasted years then we got a Bosch in 93 and it's still going strong.

I currently have a Zanussi from about 98, that works well but I have the same problem with the cutlery basket.

I do think that if you want quality these days the only place to go is Miele. Although strangely enough I was considering Bosch too.

Not a very helpful note from me - sorry

Rob

 

[washboy2005]

I have a Whirlpool dishwasher and to be honest I think its fantastic, it cleans well, the cycles dont take forever, and its reasonably quiet. it is CBC rated but performs excellently.

I do reccommend Whirlpool 100%

Take Care

 

[robbiehotpoint]

I Have a hotpoint dishwasher bought in 2003 and up to date no problems, i personally though the whirlpool dishwasher was not much good, it still works to this day as we gave it away to friends, it washed the dishes, ok, but would quite often leave the odd thing with marks.

I think it is just luck of the draw with any type of machine bought now as we all know the build quality is not what it used to be.

I am suprosed that the zannusi has only lasted a few years as they are supposed to be a pretty good make, i wouldnt know about zannusi dishwashers as i have not had one but always found thier washers to be pretty solid.

My only advice matey is go and find an old hotpoint working and stick with that, my mum has had her's for 18 years now and apart from a new door seal no problems..

 

[lavamat_jon]

Nick - I would recommend AEG or Bosch dishwahsers nowadays in my personal opinion - every other brand seems to be really nasty and plasticky, especially the Indesit and Hotpoint models (Whirlpool seems to be the only cheap brand where quality still comes out, but then they are still German made). Hoover/Candy... not had experience with recently though our 1989 Hoover Super Crystaljet performed 3 washes a day until it's death in 2001.

Thing is though, nowadays you can pick up a freestanding, bottom-end Miele (with a cutlery tray) for only £360 or so, and I have to say that the Miele we have is the best dishwasher I've ever used and would recommend one entirely. Seeming as they sell for the same price as an equivant specification AEG or Bosch, it's a no-brainer to me. But if you want to stay at the £300 mark, I would recommend either a Bosch Exxcel or an AEG Favorit.

Jon

http://www.johnlewis.com/Electrical/Dishwashers/Dishwashers/Dishwashers/466/230306896/Product.aspx

 

[zanussi_lover]

Hey

I have a tricity bendix dishwasher and i have had no problems, its nearly two years old and is still working brilliantly

My washing machine is still going strong too, and thats zanussi

If you want something good but not break the bank, get a tricity bendix

 

[lavamat_jon]

Zanussi dishwasher

BTW the same thing happened to our Zanussi dishwasher when we had it. We ran it overnight, and because it hadn't got to temperature by the time we had gotten downstairs in the morning it was still stuck on the heating portion of the timer in the mainwash cycle. Was a dire machine for cleaning too (even though it was B rated), had a horrible high pitched whining noise to it (uncle's Zanussi from the same era is the same), and the racking system is far from logical. I said to my colleague at the time (who was one of the engineers at the electrical shop) that the dishwasher was never as good a cleaner as the Hoover Crystaljet it replaced, and he said that was because the pumps on Zanussi dishwashers weren't very powerful at all and effectively sprinkled the dishes rather than sprayed them. Though nowadays, most mid-range to high-end Zanussi dishwashers use AEG's pump & filter system I believe so perhaps that isn't a problem anymore. The Zanussi dishwasher finally died in its 3rd year, in 2005, when the timer started to jar. This was after a month or two of having to use ti with only the top or bottom basket stacked, as the middle spray arm split meaning only one wash arm could be effectively used.

I still think though that Zanussi (and for that matter, Tricity Bendix & Electrolux) should sort out that stupid racking system too - I don't know what the hell they are playing at with that bumpy thing they have in the middle of teh top rack at the moment with only 4 rows for cups at the top. It never used to support tall glasses either - you couldn't put them at the sides as there were fixed cup racks sticking out, and if you put them against the inside they always fell over no matter if how gently you closed the top basket. If anything it was just cheap and nasty. With the AEG and Miele dishwashers you can easily fit 5 rows of cups and glasses in the top basket, sometimes 6 in the Miele depending on whether you're loading large or small cups/glasses, and nothing ever falls down as tall objects are securely held up.

Even though our AEG was probably essentially the same machine as a newer Zanussi, it was a joy to load as so far AEG have kept the racks they've had for years, and generally it was very well designed. It still didn't seem to clean to "A" standard on some loads though, and often left grit on top of glasses in the corners of the top basket, and it would also sometimes come out with rejects on occasion. So far, the Miele has been able to wash anything I've thrown in it and believe me I've put some pretty tough stuff in there and I ram it full. You couldn't ram our Zanussi full at all, otherwise things just wouldn't come out clean plus those stupid racks just wouldn't let you put anything anywhere.

My grandma has a Neff dishwasher, and I have to say that even though it's only their cheapest 3 programme model that they had 5 or 6 years ago when she moved in to her newbuild, that seems to wash absolutely everything. From what I've used of Bosch dishwashers I've been very impressed and they have nice solid racks, are quiet and clean very very well. Only reason we didn't get an integrated Bosch or Neff was because (being pernickety) I prefer racks facing the front, so the decision became between the AEG and the Miele, and the Miele (with the cutlery tray) was only £100 more than the AEG and came with a free 5 year guarantee so the Miele was a no-brainer really, and one of the best purchases we've ever made.

You probably know the drill already, but seeming as you can get a decent AEG or Bosch for about £300, or a Miele for only £60 or £70 more, I really wouldn't bother with the cheap, nasty, plastic dishwashers out there i.e. Indesit Beko Hoover Zanussi/Bendix etc. or even the cheaper Spanish Bosch Classix dishwashers which have plastic tubs! The cheaper models are more trouble IMO than the £50 or so saving over a better model is worth

Jon

 

[logixx]

Yep, pretty much agree on everything Jon said.

We had a very similar Zanussi DW when we moved in - I hated it: noisy and very basic racks; cleaning was alright, though. Once we moved in here and I started using this DW it only lasted one month before it, miraculously, started to leak and needed replacement...

The replacement was an AEG (bought in 1999). Especially the upper basket was very good - the lower one was okay. Their new TOL racking system looks pretty flexible. However, it did leave grit in indentations of cups, spoons were almost always pre-cleaned by me before I put them in, drying wasn't too impressive (despite up to 62 min. TurboDry-ing) and even though it was labeled 45 dB, it wasn't the quietest machine - especially the PulseWash annoyed me.
All in all, it was a "good" dishwasher.

Now, we have a brand new Siemens and I love it.

Cleans great, very silent, the lower rack is extremely flexible, drying is slightly better compared to the AEG.
The only things I dislike are: First, the upper rack on the AEG had an (adjustable) tilt to it, which made loading tall stemware very easy while at the same time, I could put large plates in the lower rack. The Siemens allows me either tall stemware in the upper OR tall items in the lower rack. If you want to have the upper basket in the upper position, you'll have to load stemware at an angle, which wastes space IMO. Putting glasses in the lower rack (also possible) isn't really an option for me - I just don't like it and usually I don't have the space for it, since the bottom is already full.
Second *dislike*: that machine is too damn smart! Even though the AEG had Sensorlogic, I always knew what was going on. This new Siemens "computer" dishwasher, though... If you select one of the "auto" cycles it constantly alters the cycle: time goes up and down, spray pressure changes, it sometimes does a purge or two, even the way it drains depends on where it the cycle the machine is.

I'd either recommend something BSH, Miele, ...... or AEG.

Alex

 

[brisnat81]

Not Whirlpool

We briefly had a German made whirlpool from the late 90's. Stuff always came out dirty, with a scummy film and nothing ever fitted.

I know this is an older model, but when I've looked at the new ones, they still seem to have the same wash and racking systems today. I really couldnt reccomend one.

I sunk a new detergent dispensor, and a new wash motor into it, and finally gave it away as a really bad joke.

Since then we've had a G2220 Tall tub Miele and now would never have anything else.

 

[nickuk]

Thanks for everyone's input, this is a really interesting thread. In the new house we move to in six weeks is an integrated slimline diswasher(grr) either Bosch or Siemens, couldn't tell but I think it said `BC20' when I opened the door.

Quite how long I will tolerate a slimline for before it too develops a `mysterious leak' is as yet undecided!

Nick

 

[kirk280980]

Hi all,

My first dishwasher was a Zanussi DWS939, which I believe was similar ifnot identical mechanically to Jon's AEG. Personally I never had any issues with cleaning - it consistently turned out spotless loads, never a single reject - but agree that the top rack design left much to be desired. The direct feed for the top spray arm ran through the inside of the basket rather than underneath it, meaning few if any items could effectively be stacked there. So, in that regard, not much better than having to load around an old-fashioned feed funnel.

Overall I did like the machine very much, however it did need a new wash pump and motor at one stage due to a seal failure. Plus the IWMS (Integrated Water Management System, which measures the fills) had to be replaced when the machine stopped softening the water. Wasn't too surprised when this happened, as these were notorious for going wrong, but luckily it was all covered by extended warranty. Once said warranty had run out though, and the same problem occurred again, the DW went out the door. At this stage the machine was 5 years old, and that meant I couldn't justify paying for such a costly and extensive repair if there was the slightest chance it would happen again a year or two down the road.

In the interests of fairness, I will say this was the only Zanussi product I've used that had somewhat disappointing reliability. Always found their laundry and refrigeration to be very good, so it may be a case of getting a lemon, or perhaps dishwashers just aren't their strongest point at this time. It isn't unusual for any given manufacturer to be excellent in one field, yet dire in another, hence why I prefer to mix & match brands and pick what I hope to be the best from each.

Anyway - replaced the Zanussi with a TOL Bosch Logixx Automatic, which must be about 2 years old now. Washes exceptionally well, and the sensor programmes do exactly what they're supposed to do depending on the amount and type of soiling loaded. On my model you can select a conventional programme instead if preferred, but I've never felt the need to do so other than for the sake of experimentation; usually I stick to Auto Wash for normal loads, or Auto Super Wash for anything burnt-on or extremely greasy. Racking is excellent, with numerous inserts that can be retracted or extended depending on the type of load, and the machine will take awkward items such as oven racks, fridge shelves, griddles and mixer bowls/accessories with ease. Such flexibility is important to me, as I cook from scratch daily yet am not prepared to wash anything by hand, although it might be overkill for some.

Haven't had any issues whatsoever with the Bosch, and it's so quiet that you can barely hear it while standing next to the machine. Noise level isn't particularly important to me, but I must admit the fact that it's virtually silent is a very nice bonus indeed, and after a while you get used to that and become spoiled.

So my vote obviously goes to BSH, although wouldn't hesitate to consider Miele or the Asko-built Maytags either ).

Cheers,

Kirk

 

[kirk280980]

Hi Nick,

I see we must have posted at the same time!

Model BC20 is a pre-Merloni Hotpoint dishwasher, manufactured by BSH. I'm guessing details such as the detergent dispenser, racks and spray arms gave that away when you looked inside. So still a perfectly reasonable machine.

But yes, the size... slimline is better than no dishwasher at all of course, but a 60cm model is the way to go IMHO if you can possibly fit one in, even more so if that's what you're already used to.

Cheers,

Kirk

 

[Bearpeter]

Bosch Exxcell Slimline....

still going strong after 2 years.... Love the quick wash.... would prefer a 70* intensive than the Auto wash as I would be happier with the knowledge of pre rinse-wash-3rinses-hot final rinse to totally ensure top results.... am I too old fashioned?

Candy condenser dryers.... NOT impressed AT ALL!

 

[exploder3211]

Here's an AEG at work

 

[exploder3211]

What Kind of Dishwasher...

What kind of dishwasher are these little ones taking apart? I would never let my kids do this, but...

 

[logixx]

"Here's an AEG at work"

Yep, that was me filming our AEG dishwasher. I haven't done this "Behind the Scenes" with our new Siemens - yet!

Alex

 

[exploder3211]

Thats was you??? How did one do this??

 

[zanussi_lover]

Racks don't matter

TBH i think the racks are fine on my dishwasher, my tricity bendix model is actually a rebranded AEG dishwasher, though it still has the zanussi racks, my dad only got this dishwasher 2 years ago for 170 quid from argos, as my dad works for experian, who own argos,

my dishwasher is really reliable, and so it should be, as my model of dishwasher is german, tbh, zanussi aeg and tricity bendix all share the same components,

racks aren't really important to me, as all i do is load the thing and switch it on lol, isn't that what a dishwasher is for lol??

if you are looking for a dishwasher, i would go for an AEG or another zanussi, zanussi aren't bad, my friend has a 1997 Zanussi Aquasave dishwasher, and its still going strong

btw my tricity bendix isn't cheap and crap Jon, as you were saying, its well made and it does its job well,

 

[lavamat_jon]

If you're happy Kyle then youre happy with it. But for £170 you really aren't going to get a quality dishwasher are you?

The Tricity Bendix dishwashers aren't rebranded AEGs, they are made in a separate factory in Italy and some components may be similar but they are different from AEG dishwashers. (Of course as of this year I wouldn't doubt if AEG dishwashers started coming off the same production line as Bendix's, as unfortunate as that day will be). You're also forgetting Kyle that I owned a model very similar to yours for 3 1/2 years, and I'm sorry to say that it was the worst dishwasher we ever had.

The racks might not matter for you as you're a small household, when you're trying to fit a family's worth of dishes and pots and pans in then the Zanussi racks just don't cut the biscuit plus you have teh problem as I mentioned before with glasse snot being supported properly in the top rack. Compare this
aquarius2101 to
aquarius2101 and the picture linked below.

But of course, for £170 then what do you expect but they're certainly not the best designed things out there .

For the same price as an average Zanussi dishwasher (£300), your money is better spent on a Bosch, or while you can still buy them one of the last German AEG's.

Jon